I've scored some pretty cool finds within the past month. Some of it is practical, some is pretty and some is kind. I'll be totally honest with you guys. I bought half this stuff impulsively after a few dark & stormies. No regrets.

Freaking Adorable Enamel Lapel Pins

First things first: the impulse purchases. I was scrolling through my Instagram feed when I came across Ann Shen's mermaid pins. I was smitten with her illustration style + candy colors, so I clicked through to her shop and bought them seconds later. Technology really makes it too easy to get what you want when you want it. The otters and hedgehog come from BoyGirlParty (ordered after a night of drinking wine with friends.) They just added these platypus pins to their shop, so I might be making another impulse purchase soon.

My pin collection is growing:

Eden D'Orsay Flats by Sseko Designs

Check out these lady face shoes! The coolest part isn't even the design (which is awesome), it's the story behind the brand. Sseko Designs is based out of Uganda and was established to help women pursue higher education. As the organization has grown, they've expanded their initiative and provided opportunities to women throughout East Africa, helping to end the cycle of poverty and create a more equitable society. The shoes caught my eye first, but the brand story is why I added them to my shopping cart.

Fjällräven Backpack

I've been eyeing this bad boy for years now. I almost bought a knockoff in Bangkok a few months ago, but decided to hold off for the real deal. I'm glad I did– the quality is superb. The main compartment is a perfect fit for my 15" laptop, which was the reason I wanted this bag. I'm always working from coffee shops around KC, so this was a perfect purchase. Plus, that winking fox logo is utilizing minimalism + whitespace in a way that makes my designer heart happy.

This Shit is Bananas B-A-N-A-N-A-S Purse

I found this piece of eye-candy back in March at the Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok. The market is one of the largest in the world and offers everything from leather goods to baby squirrels. I'd just gotten off my 12-hour overnight train to Bangkok from Chiang Mai and had some time to kill before checking into my hotel, so the market seemed like a great place to explore. I'm glad I did, because in addition to some delicious mango sticky rice, I also snagged this banana purse for 200 Baht (about $5).

My favorite part of the pattern is that bunch of green bananas in the corner. It adds that bit of character that makes it imperfect and interesting.

A Water Buffalo

I know this one comes out of left field, but hear me out. Water buffaloes had never really crossed my mind until I visited Southeast Asia earlier this year. It was love at first sighting. Besides being gentle giants, these animals are incredibly important to rice farming families; with the water buffalo's help, farmers can till the fields five times faster than they otherwise could. Most get daily baths and are considered members of the family. I was curiosity-googling them when I found out that you can sponsor a water buffalo for a family through Heifer International.

If you're not familiar with Heifer International, they're definitely worth checking out. Their overarching goals are to 1) end world hunger + poverty and 2) care for the earth. I can get behind that. Through HI, you can donate just about any working animal to a family in need. The animals provide a reliable and sustainable income for these families, helping them to help themselves and their communities thrive. The families share the training they receive and pass on the first female offspring of their livestock to another family. In essence, by giving one goat or alpaca or pig, you're also providing future families with the gift as well.

There's not an option to name your animal (Heifer– get on this), but I unofficially did anyway. William, I hope you enjoy your new family, wherever they are. Love ya, buddy.

Oh, and I noticed I could add honey bees to my shopping cart for an extra $30 so I said what the hell. Honey for everyone!

A water buffalo skull was also one of the first things I painted when I returned to my studio after traveling.

I wasn't kidding earlier. Here are the dark & stormies, sake + wine + sangria, and mai tais that were responsible for half these purchases. Hanging out with my friends is lethal. They're awesome ladies.

5 Fresh Finds